VIDEO: Tall ships arrive

Steve Bisson/Savannah Morning News Roseway crewmen Owen Howe, left in a red shirt and Matt Sullivan watch as 5 Savannah Country Day 6th grade students have a tug-of-war with one classmate as they learn about block and tackle on sailing ships.

Steve Bisson/Savannah Morning News Brittany Hodges, 12, waves to a passing boat after she climbed 65 foot rigging to the mast of the Roseway. She and her fellow 6th grade classmates from Savannah Country Day School were touring the sailing ship.

Just ask the boatload of reporters, photographers and cameramen who set out from Lazaretto Creek late Wednesday afternoon to greet nearly a half-dozen arriving tall ships, only to end up watching dolphins cavort across the bow of a giant cargo ship — the only tall anything coming up the river.

Originally scheduled to come in shortly after dawn today, the arrival of the Appledore V, Etoile, LaBelle Poule, Lynx and Alliance was changed at the last minute to Wednesday around 6 p.m. due to more favorable sailing conditions.

But that, too, was subject to change.

Only after the group was on the water did they learn that they had just missed the arrival of the Appledore, Lynx and Alliance, which had taken advantage of their opportunity when a stiff afternoon breeze kicked up.

The two French ships — Etoile and LaBelle Poule — opted to wait until morning.

If you haven’t seen one of the majestic ships sail in, there are still plenty of opportunities.

Perhaps the best chance to see a show will be at around 9 a.m. today, when the Indonesian Naval ship Dewaruci is expected to sail up the river, sails unfurled and cadets riding the rigging. Also due in today are the Pride of Baltimore and the two French ships in the morning, Picton Castle at noon and the Bounty at 3 p.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle will arrive Friday morning.

All times are approximate at best, so check savannahnow.com for updates.

The Savannah Tall Ships Festival kicks off the 2012 Tall Ships Challenge, an annual event sponsored by Tall Ships America, a nonprofit group focused on youth education, leadership development and the preservation of the maritime heritage of North America.

After leaving Savannah on Monday, the ships will race to Greenport, N.Y., and Newport, R.I., before finishing in Halifax and the Nova Scotia Outports. The challenge marks the first time in 15 years that Savannah has hosted a tall ships festival.

MAKE YOUR WAY DOWNTOWN TO CHECK OUT THE TALL SHIPS

TICKETS

General admission tickets are available at the Savannah Civic Center Box Office, or online at savannahtallshipschallenge.com/buytickets.

Costs are as follows:

• One-day admission, access aboard any Tall Ship — $25 for adults, $12 for children 5-16. Children under 4 are free.

• Multi-day admission, access aboard any Tall Ship — $60 for adults, $30 for children 5-16. Children under 4 are free.